The present invention relates generally to systems and/or methods for mooring or anchoring small watercraft such as xe2x80x9cjet-skis(R)xe2x80x9d or the like in offshore water. More particularly, it involves a combination of lines and connection devices which are preferably detachably attachable both to an anchor and to such watercraft to securely moor the watercraft offshore.
A wide range of applications exist for mooring or anchoring watercraft in the water, offshore. One of the primary recognized benefits thereof includes avoiding causing damage to the watercraft as a result of wind, wave or wake action. When moored particularly on or very near the shore, such actions will often force the watercraft to repetitively impact against the shore (or similarly whether onshore or off, against other moored watercraft or against the mooring structures). These impacts can cause damage to the watercraft hull and/or to the propulsion system such as to a boat propeller, or in personal watercraft like xe2x80x9cjet-ski(R)xe2x80x9d watercraft, to the water intake for the impeller pump. Sand or other bottom material may become lodged in and obstruct the water intake when the personal watercraft is moored on or very near the shore.
A couple of examples of prior offshore watercraft mooring devices include Sheppard, Jr. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,168,823) and Kubli (U.S. Pat. No. 5,483,911), inter alia. Sheppard, Jr. teaches the use of an anchor line having a flexible hoop through which an activation line is operatively disposed. The activation line runs from the shore through the hoop and back to the shore. A human operator may then move the activation line through the hoop like a pulley to alternately move the boat to its offshore mooring place and back into the shore. Kubli teaches an elastic anchor rope which is attached at one end to the stern of a boat and at the other end to an anchor. The elasticity of the anchor rope allows for anchoring the boat offshore yet provides for the driving of the boat into the shore for the debarkation of the occupants, and then for the automatic elastic retraction of the boat to its offshore mooring location.
Even so, there remain numerous mooring problems not addressed by these and like devices. For example, there are instances where it is preferable to provide substantially static, yet simply adjustable mooring distances from the shore depending on the geography of a particular shoreline. It is also desirable to provide the option of mooring multiple watercraft adjacent one another on one anchor without permitting collisions therebetween. Further, stresses on an anchor line and/or one or more shore lines should also be relievable in order to prevent dislodgement of the anchor and the consequent drift of a watercraft into potentially damaging contact worth the shore or other watercraft. Such features would also preferably be available in a simply adaptable and portable device or system.
In view of the foregoing, it appears that many desiderata for mooring systems for small watercraft continue to be unmet. At the least, it is evident that it would be desirable to provide a portable mooring system offering simple, preferably adjustable operation for statically anchoring one or more watercraft yet also preferably providing secure endurance from the wind, wave and wake conditions inherent adjacent a shoreline.
The present invention relates generally to systems for mooring small and/or personal watercraft such as xe2x80x9cjet-skis(R)xe2x80x9d and the like in the water. More particularly, it involves a system of lines and connection devices which accomplish offshore anchoring of one or more of these watercraft while also providing for protection from impact damage caused by wind, wave or wake forces.
A system of connected lines is provided which is connectable to an anchor at one end and to one or more fixtures on shore at another end. At the anchor end of such a system, an elongated anchor line is attached to the anchor. This anchor line is also preferably connected to a ring or Y-shaped connection member to which one or more substantially fixed shore lines are connected. A ring is one preferred embodiment for the connection member because it allows any practical number of shore lines to be attached thereto. An alternative Y-shaped connection member providing for the connection of two fixed shore lines to the anchor line has other preferred features such as ensuring a fixed separation of the two shore lines from each other. Still other shapes of connection members are also contemplated herein.
While in use, the anchor is anchored in the water near the shore while the anchor and shore lines run toward the shore and the one or more free ends of the one or more shore lines are secured at the shore to fixtures such as stakes driven into the beach or tied to rocks, trees, or the like. Each of the one or more shore lines have one or more preferably movable watercraft lines attached thereto. The upper ends of the watercraft lines are detachably attachable to respective personal watercraft. These watercraft lines are preferably elastic in nature (like so-called xe2x80x9cbungeexe2x80x9d cords) to provide a damping effect countering wind, wave or wake action and the like. This helps alleviate stresses on the main anchor line and the shore lines.
Slidable gripping devices are preferred for the connection of each of the watercraft lines to each respective shore line so that the watercraft lines may be adjustably moved as desired to various anchoring positions along the lengths of the respective shore lines between the ring or Y-shaped connection member and the shore. The gripping action is preferably caused by a pivoting, toothed cam operated by a thumb lever. Float devices are also preferably strategically disposed along any or all of the above-described lines; the anchor line, the shore lines and the watercraft lines. Anchor and shore line floats are intended to preferably impart an approx mate 45 degree angle for the anchor and shore lines in the water relative to the horizontal while the floats on the respective watercraft lines preferably bring the respective watercraft lines to a substantially vertical orientation in the water.
The above-described watercraft lines are intended to be connected to the personal watercraft in such a manner, preferably to the respective bows, so as to hold the watercraft facing away from the shoreline. In holding xe2x80x9cjet-ski(R)xe2x80x9d or like personal watercraft using a bow connection, the impeller pump water intake is kept away from the shore so that it does not become obstructed with sand or other bottom material. Additional watercraft lines may be disposed shoreward of each of the first, above-described watercraft lines and connected to the respective sterns of the watercraft to maintain each watercraft in its anchored position facing away from the shore. Each such additional watercraft line would also preferably be connected to the corresponding shore line with a slidable gripping device such as those used for the elastic watercraft lines. If a shore line is long enough, more than one personal watercraft may be attached therealong.
Accordingly, the primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved mooring system for small watercraft.
Another object is the provision of a non-complex mooring system for small watercraft which is highly compact and portable.
Another object is to provide a mooring system having at least one elongated line which is substantially static or fixed between the anchor and the shore.
Yet another object is to provide a mooring system allowing for optional additional shore lines for optionally mooring one or more watercraft relative to one anchor.
Yet another object is to provide a mooring system which will withstand the wind, wave, and wake conditions inherent in near shore watercraft mooring.
Still another object is to provide a mooring system with adaptable and/or adjustable flexibility.
Still another object is to provide an adjustably movable connection component for adjusting for the length of a given vessel and/or for selecting a discrete mooring distance of the watercraft from the shore.
And, still one further object is to provide one or more float elements for bearing selected mooring lines of a watercraft mooring system in pre-selected orientations in the water.
These and still further objects are achieved by the present invention as will be demonstrated in the following description of preferred embodiments which should be examined in concert with the attached drawings in which like parts are identified by like numerals throughout the several views.